26 PROJECT REPORT


of the site began between them and VerdeGO. In order to receive the funding, the Trust needed to match the amount, from their own funds or by raising funds by selling parts of the site. VerdeGO put forward a proposal to build within the confines of the site, as well as convert one of the Grade II listed buildings, and have one delisted in order to demolish it to facilitate new houses. “It was hugely complex,” says Craddock. “There was a huge amount of stakeholders, the vagaries of our planning process, and the amount of consultees we had to engage with.”


The Environment Agency were involved due to the site’s location on the shoreline meaning there were issues with ooding and water ingress. Ecologists and Natural England were also involved as the site is home to overwintering birds, great crested newts, badgers and slow worms. There were also complications to navigate due to the SSSI and Ramsar site. One of the more complicated matters was the Scheduled Ancient Monument listing. “It’s probably more complex than dealing with a Grade I listed building, because it’s purely the shape of the landscape so if you even put a shovel in, it changes the shape and integrity of the monument,” Craddock explains. The site’s history meant there were nexploded rdnance  surveys


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to do, plus issues with nitrates, and the usual planning obstacles relating to architecture, style, and mass. “It was layer upon layer of challenges – everything you don’t want on a site you had on that one,” says Craddock.


Historic England were initially concerned about the harm that would be caused to the site as a whole. “It had to be balanced with the benefit of taking a lot of buildings off the At Risk Register,” Craddock explains. “We had to take people down a journey and engage them, to demonstrate the value of what we were doing.”


Some of the reluctance stemmed from the nature of VerdeGO’s proposal – housing, and more specifically the sie, number, types and style. There was also initial apprehension from locals, although Craddock believes the understanding that the derelict, dilapidating site would be rejuvenated won people over. “To see impactful change was really good for the area,” he says.


Despite the extensive challenges, they gained unanimous approval when the application was finally submitted, and the Trust was able to secure the funding. The application was for both VerdeGO’s housing and the Trust’s refurbishment of the listed buildings, which the funding was used for. Refurbishments included the conversion


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